Missions News

Our theme in 2017 will be “Refugees all around the World” and Christian Aid will be celebrating 60 years of fundraising to bring an end to global poverty. British churches initially founded Christian Aid to support hundreds of thousands of refugees who lost their homes and possessions in the Second World War.

There will be more in-depth information as we get closer to May but in the meantime we would be very grateful if you would “Save the date” for the following events:

Tuesday 16th May: Coffee Morning & Cake Sale in the Barber Rooms

Saturday 20th May: Concert at All Saints’

We will also be doing the House-to-House Collection and a Street Collection during Christian Aid week and it would be much appreciated if you would consider volunteering to help with this.

If you would like any further information, please contact Julie Campbell

News from the Church Mission Society

A big THANK YOU to all who helped to make the afternoon tea party to raise money for our Mission Partner, Lynn Treneary a lot of fun and a great success. We were able to send £895 to Lynn, and we received a reply from her by return:

Thank you for your enormous support. It will help many people in some way as I try to answer all the calls for help I get.

Maridi Town is in a sort of bubble of peace meaning we can carry on here under God’s blessings. But all around us, quite close even, is suffering of the worst kind. Towns and villages we know under attack. Basic human rights like food and shelter, even water, not available.

On an encouraging note, five of my English students walk five and a half miles to get to college. There is commitment to development being practised.

My job is to encourage and that is what I do thanks to The Holy Spirit. Your prayers for me and Maridi are being answered and we all continue to pray for South Sudan and the world.

Much love and many blessings to you all

Lynn

As Lynn says, the rest of the news from South Sudan is mostly bad.

First, on the good side, Wycliffe Bible Society reported that copies of the New Testament and Genesis in the Baka language, used by a tribe from Western Equatoria, South Sudan, was launched on 12th March to much rejoicing. The people have waited for 30 years to be able to read the Bible in a language that touches their heart.

Fighting continues in other parts with the utmost brutality, whole villages are burned, some food aid got through to one area, but straight away the government told all the aid workers to leave in preparation for a major army campaign.

The President has called for a National Dialogue to start on 15th March and a Day of Prayer on 10th March, but it is government soldiers who are some of those who are causing the violence. However, the churches are working together to try to bring reconciliation. The Pope has declared his desire to visit South Sudan with the Archbishop of Canterbury, possibly later this year.

A small group meets to pray for CMS and South Sudan, every 3rd Wednesday of the month and we welcome others to join us. Information on South Sudan is updated most weeks and this is placed on the Barber Rooms notice board. We do ask you to pray with us or at home and especially for Lynn whom we support.

June is the month when we especially remember CMS and we hope to have Revd Colin Smith, Dean of Mission Education, responsible for the training of mission partners prior to departure, to preach at the 10.30am service in All Saints’ on 11th June. This will be followed by a Bring-&-Share lunch in the Barber Rooms to give us time to talk further to Colin. Do put this date in your diary, it will be a chance to hear more about the work that CMS is doing in this country and across the world.

Also, a reminder to take the free copies of the quarterly newspaper The Call which are on the bench in the Church. These provide a great deal of information on CMS in the world and will inspire and encourage you as you try to play your part in God’s church.

Joan Plumptre

News from Matt, Liz, Levi & Anya Wisbey

Matt’s work has been busy since his trip to present at the conference in October .The presentation went wel, and his trip to visit a partner organisation’s work in the Philippines was a particular highlight of 2016—getting to see first hand the work they are doing with a minority community to restore the rainforest.

In January, much of Matt’s time was spent working on a brochure to help people in their work communicating about the importance of mother tongue-based multilingual education This was one of the goals of the October conference and so it was great to see that come together just in time for International Mother Language Day.

After a period of steady office work, the spring brings more teaching and travel. In May Matt will be teaching on the multilingual education course, and travelling to Thailand to support the next community of practice event.

Please remember us as we all adjust to different work patterns over the next few months. We love to hear your news and to pray for you, so drop us a few lines if you can.